Respite or Maybe Not
by Donatellosgirl36
Summary: Bound V2N5, The family travels to the planet Mazaryn to witness Don and Sarah's nephew's bonding ceremony. But turtle luck is running against them even half way across the galaxy. Expect general mayhem mixed with lots of laughs.
1. Pleasure Cruise

Disclaimer: I do not own the original characters of TMNT: Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo, or April. I do own the rest of the characters in this series.

A/N: I thought I'd keep this one light-heartted after all that drama in "Orphan's End."

* * *

"Wow…."

"It's so beautiful!"

"You can say that again."

"This is incredible!"

"This is so cool!"

Cat turned away from the group gathered in front of the large observation windows to look back at Raph, who was settled on the long couch with his brothers and Sarah. "You guys have got to a do a lot of cool stuff, and we haven't." She pouted.

Raph chuckled. "Most of our trips into space ain't been so relaxin'." He smirked. "But if ya like it so much, I'm sure I can talk Stin into givin' us a ship to cruise around in."

"We have a ship." Leo commented from beside him. "Just not one big enough to carry our entire clan."

Don snorted. "That old cruiser is practically an antique at this point." Sarah chuckled, where she sat tucked into his side with his arm draped around her.

"It was very nice of Marina to send a ship all the way to get us." Jamie smiled, pushing her glasses up her small nose. "And to invite everyone." She frowned a little. "I wish we could have talked April into coming. She would have enjoyed this."

Leo frowned as well. "She said she had something important to do and that it really couldn't wait."

Star turned towards them. "I still don't understand what we are going for or why. Not that I'm complaining, because this is really awesome."

"For Zarin's Bonding Ceremony. It's like a wedding. Mazar take their mates at a lot younger age than most humans." Sarah explained.

Ona glanced her way. "And Marina is your half-sister?" She frowned in confusion. "I still don't understand how that's possible. I thought if you're bonded that if one dies so does the other."

"Yes, most of the time that is the case. But there are some rare instances where the couple doesn't bond properly, which can be caused by a number of things including the timing. Females are the catalyst of the bonding process. There is a window of time in which they must be matched with their mate. If it's missed, then the female will never be able to bond properly. Marina believes this is what happened in my mother and father's case." Sarah sighed, a distant look in her eyes. "It allowed my mother to escape Zenfered, but it also allowed him to kill her and not die himself."

Don squeezed his wife's hand. "He must have realized their bond didn't take earlier than your mother did." Sarah gave a sad nod. Although she had never met her mother, she understood why she had run when she did. And if she hadn't, she would not have met Donnie and they never would have bonded. For Sarah the idea of never having met her mate was the most terrifying thing in the universe. She shivered, squeezing Donnie's hand tightly. He frowned feeling that touch of fear from her. It was something he felt as well. To be without her was simply unthinkable. Kissing her brow, he sent her wave after wave of love. She returned it eagerly and snuggled deeper into his side.

Kaz was standing behind Ona, an arm curled around her waist. "Yoshi and I got to meet Marina and Stin a long time ago."

Star looked over her shoulder at Yoshi, where he stood behind her, his hands resting on her shoulders. "You did?"

He smiled at the memory. "Yeah, we was just kids back then."

Raph snorted. "You're still kids." Yoshi shot him an annoyed look as a round of laughter went around the room.

"Well, at least you two got to go. I had to stay home." Shinta groused.

Jamie smiled over at him. "You were still small. Besides, I kept you entertained."

Shinta couldn't help the laugh as he grinned at his step-mother. "I thought I was the one entertaining you."

Cat chuckled, elbowing Jamie beside her. "He has a point."

Jamie laughed as well, catching Leo's eye and smiling at him. Leo returned it. He seemed to recall the best part of that particular adventure was when he'd gotten home and they had shared their first kiss.

K-three sat in a large armchair with Mira in his lap. They both grimaced. "That had to be the worst trip I have ever taken."

"Yeah." Mira agreed softly, remembering how terrible the separation sickness had been. She leaned into him, pressing her face into his neck. K-three's frown deepened and he rubbed her shoulder and arm soothingly. Don and Sarah frowned as well. That had been a terrifying time for them too. They had nearly died fighting Zenfered.

Katsu and Kara came running into the room, followed by Liling at more appropriate speed. Leo eyed them. "You three haven't been making trouble, have you?"

"No, sir." The three chimed way too quick for Leo's liking. But he let it go. If they had done anything, he was pretty sure someone would have told them by now.

Kara bounced up to her father. "Daddy! Daddy!"

Kaz smiled as he picked up his eight-year-old daughter. "What is it?"

"We found a big room with lots of games!" She swung her arms out wide to show how big it was.

"Yeah, one of the crew showed us. He said it was for Zarin." Katsu explained.

"I hope you didn't break anything." Don said.

"Oh, no." Liling told him. "I made sure." She was nearly fluent in English now. Though there were words she stumbled over from time to time, it wasn't often anymore. She walked over to stand beside Shinta and peer out the large window at the stars with wide bright eyes. Shinta glanced at her and the corner of his mouth twitched up.

Donnie smiled at the thought of Liling trying to tell Katsu or Kara what to do. Neither listened to her much. That was probably due to their ages being so close. Liling was now fifteen and developing into a young woman. She studied more than she played these days. And although she had started so late, she was picking up ninjutsu quite well. One benefit of her and Katsu being so close in age was that she seemed immune to Katsu's charm, which he used on the women in the family. All he had to do was flash his gold-brown eyes and smile, and they would give him nearly anything he wanted. But Liling didn't fall for it, she simply rolled her eyes when he tried to charm her.

Kara was too much like Mikey to fall for his trick either. Her attention span was rather short. She didn't need to charm anyone; she had her daddy wrapped tightly around her finger. There was rarely anything Kaz would deny her. Ona wasn't quite so gullible and had no trouble telling their daughter no. But Kara had learned to play her parents off one another. If mom said no, she'd get dad to say yes. There would be a short "discussion" and she'd get her way. Mikey was no better than his son. His granddaughter wanted for nothing. He didn't spoil her per se, but he would often show up with little gifts for no reason at all.

The first mate, Commander Loteh, appeared and stopped in front of Don and Sarah. "The captain has arranged a meal for our honored guest. He was hoping you'd join him."

"Us too?" Kara piped up.

The first mate turned and smiled at her. "Yes, of course. All of you are invited."

Kara grinned. "Good! I'm hungry!"

Laughter rolled through the room again. "Well, then I'd better show you where." The first mate continued to chuckle. "Please, follow me."

As the group stood to follow, Kaz let down Kara and stepped up beside his father. "You know, I remember you popping me on the back of the head for that."

Mikey smirked, raising an eye ridge. "What? You want me to pop her on the head for it?"

Kaz made a face. "Well, uh, no. But…"

Mikey chuckled putting an arm around his son's shoulders. "You might as well face it, Kazzey, she's gonna get away with a lot more than you ever did."

Ona giggled behind them. "She already does."

They entered a large room that appeared to be some type of banquet hall. A large table was arranged beautifully with flowers and candles. Each place setting had real silverware and porcelain dishes rimmed in gold. Raph frowned at the delicate glasses. He was pretty sure at least one of those would be broken by the end of the meal.

The captain was standing near the head of the table. He gave Don and Sarah a broad smile. "My lady, my lord, please come and sit. I am honored to share a meal with you."

Don returned the smile. They had met the captain upon their arrival. He seemed to be genuinely kind, but still managed to have an air of command. "Thank you, Captain Taxal. We are all very grateful." Kara wiggled out from between Don and Leo. "Some of us more than others."

The captain chuckled as he watched the young turtle lick her lips at the large table lined with fruit and bread. Leo put a hand on her shoulder, silently reminding her not to behave rudely to their host. But the captain just smiled. "Well, let's not keep them waiting any longer. Please, sit." The family took their seats along the long table much in the same fashion as they did at home. The captain sat at the head with Don and Sarah to his right, and Leo and Jamie to his left. "I hope you are enjoying the trip so far?"

"Yes, this is a new experience for most of our family." Leo said. "I just hope we're not distracting your crew from their work."

"Certainly not. You are after all the very reason for this trip. Do not hesitate to ask for anything. We are here to serve you." He looked down the long table. "All of you."

"Exactly how long will it be until we reach Mazaryn?" Mira asked.

"It takes nearly twenty of your Earth hours to reach the home world from your planet." A crewman appeared and began filling the captain's glass with a light brown liquid. Then proceeded to fill everyone else's glasses as well.

Cat frowned. They had already been on board for more than four hours and they'd left in the late afternoon. "Does that mean we'll be sleeping on board tonight?"

Taxal nodded. "Yes, my men have already placed your luggage in your quarters. So, whenever you desire to sleep you may."

"What is our expected arrival time on Mazaryn?" Sarah took a tentative sip from her glass.

"It will be late morning when we arrive. Lady Marina and Lord Stin have asked for you all to join them for breakfast." Taxal took a piece of purple fruit from the bowl in front of them.

"It'll be good to see them again. It's been a long time." Mikey was also picking at the fruit bowl near him.

"Yeah, they were supposed to come visit. They even promised they would." Raph took a sip of his own drink.

"I'm sure running an empire has kept them very busy." Don tested his own drink. It was sweet and fuzzy. It reminded him of cream soda.

The captain sat back as their meal was being served. "I was not present for the right of succession, but I have been told that you were the one that slew Lord Zenfered, not Lord Stin."

Leo glanced at the captain, trying to judge if the man approved or not of what had happened between his brother and Sarah's father. Across from him both Sarah and Don frowned. "I did, but it was never our intention to take the throne. That has always been Marina and Stin's right."

Taxal looked at Sarah with curiosity. "And you were alright with giving away your birthright? You are the first born after all."

Sarah shook her head, taking Don's hand in hers and meeting his loving gaze. "We aren't suited for that sort of thing. We don't desire that type of power. We never have. Besides, we could never leave our family." She smiled at Mira and gave Liling a small hug where she sat beside her.

Leo was relieved when Taxal's expression turned to one of admiration. "Such humbleness." He smiled. "I'm sure you would have made great rulers. I would like to take the opportunity to express my gratitude. You have allowed our children to grow up in a peaceful society, rather than the violent one we were subject to for many decades."

"Has the transition from a warring race to one that's not been difficult?" K-three still felt the sting of anger and resentment towards Zenfered for attacking Shellri-La and for the death of his brother and parents.

Taxal sighed. "Honestly, for some it has been. Those are the ones that spent the majority of their lives conquering worlds for Lord Zenfered. But most feel as I do and their transition has been much easier. The Mazar are by nature a gentle race. Serving under Lord Zenfered was very hard." Taxal frowned. "And had the counsel been active at the time, we never would have invaded your home world. I know it's not much, but I am sorry for what happened to your people."

K-three paused with a frown of his own, his glass in mid-air. Mira put a hand on his arm feeling his sadness. He looked down at her before meeting the captain's gaze again. "It means more to me than you think."

The rest of their dinner went rather smoothly as they all chattered, excited about the coming events. Later, Commander Loteh escorted them to their quarters. Each room was furnished with a couch, a bedroom with one large bed, and a small kitchenette kind of area. The only one that was different was the one prepared for Don and Sarah. Theirs had a separate full kitchen and a servant on-call. It was also far larger than the other rooms. The couple felt odd being treated with such extravagant attention and had immediately relieved the servant.

Down the corridor a way, Raph sat on the side of the big bed, removing his gear. He frowned at Cat where she was staring out the large window. "What's wrong, darlin'?"

She sighed. "It's nothing."

He stood, stepping up behind her and wrapping his arms around her. "You nervous 'bout bein' in space?"

Cat frowned. "Yeah, I guess."

"Don't worry, I'm here with ya. And I've done this several times now."

She gave him a crooked smile. "So you've said."

He moved around to stroke her cheek with a large callused thumb. "You know, there is one thing I've never done in space."

This time Cat smirked. "Oh, yeah?"

His smirk was larger, bending to kiss her deeply. "Yeah, and I'd really like to give it a try."

She slipped her arms around his neck. "Maybe it would help me sleep."

His hands slid up her back, one tangling in her hair. "If ya need help sleepin', I got what ya need." He kissed her again, moving them towards the bed.

* * *

A/N: The funny stuff starts in the next chapter, courtesy of poor Leo. ;D


	2. Old Habits, New Places

Leo yawned as he stepped from the bedroom into the living area of their quarters. Spotting Shinta lying on one of the couches, he smiled. Shinta was an adult now at twenty-five, but Leo still saw him as a child most of the time. He supposed all parents did that to some extent. But when he saw him spar with the others, he was reminded of how much he'd grown. His ninjutsu skills were excellent and his spiritual powers seemed to be growing as well. But it was hard on him not having someone to train and guide him. Those were the times they both missed Amaya the most.

Sighing, he walked to the small kitchenette for a cup of tea. He stopped, staring at the two odd-looking machines. One reminded him of a microwave, just a bit bulkier. So, he guessed the other one must be for drinks. Stacked beside it were several cups and the slot at the bottom of the device was just the right size for a cup. He frowned as he tried to decipher the control panel. There were several dials and buttons. _What's wrong with a simple teapot?_ One dial looked like it controlled the temperature, another looked like it might be different kinds of drinks. He had no idea what the last dial was for or the six buttons beneath them. And the fact it was all in Mazar didn't help. He glanced around the room, but there wasn't any help there. He'd left Jamie sleeping and Shinta was still snoozing too. Looking back at the machine, he shrugged. How hard could it be? Their quarters were obviously made for guests, so the thing shouldn't be too hard to operate. At this point, he'd settle for just about anything to drink.

Reaching out, he turned the temperature dial to where he figured was about the right temperature for tea. Then, he turned the second dial to what looked like it might be tea of some sort. The third dial still didn't make sense, so he just left it where it was. The six buttons had different colors but no other markings. Spotting a green one, he pressed it. _That has to be the start button._ Sure enough, the drink dispenser kicked on and the sound of his cup filling could be heard. He smiled to himself. _That wasn't too hard._

The small cup was nearly full of a pink-tinted liquid, so he pressed the button that was red and moved to take the cup. The machine suddenly sputtered, more liquid came out faster and overflowed the cup. _Uh, oh!_ He pressed another button, hoping it would stop the sudden gush. It didn't. Instead, the lukewarm mixture began spraying all over the place, but mostly on Leo. He made a small noise of surprise when it hit him in the face. "Ah!"

That mixed the horrendous noise the machine was now making, woke Shinta abruptly. Leaping over the back of the couch on high alert, he scanned the room for trouble. He found it. He wasn't certain if he should be worried or if he should laugh. The sight of his father blocking his face from a spray of pink gooey liquid was just too much though. Laughter bubbled up inside him until he couldn't hold it anymore.

Leo cracked open an eye to glare at him. "Don't just stand there! Turn it off!"

Shinta continued to laugh as he threw his hands in the air. "I don't know how."

Leo grunted. "Unplug it or something!"

Shinta circled around, trying not to get drenched in the pink liquid himself. Jamie had heard the ruckus from the bedroom and had hurried out to see what was going on. She stopped in the doorway, her eyes wide and her hands pressed to her mouth suppressing her own laughter. By now Shinta had discovered he wasn't going to get any closer without being soaked as well. Hurrying back to the couch, he pulled a shuriken from his belt. Before Jamie could stop him, he threw it at the back of the machine where he'd spotted a cord. The drink dispenser threw a few sparks and shut off, much to Leo's relief.

The leader looked around the room and then at himself. Both he and the room were covered in the pink sticky liquid. He shot Shinta an annoyed look, where his son stood laughing, leaning on the back of the couch. "Hasn't Aunt Sarah warned you about using kitchen equipment?" Shinta managed between fits of laughter. Leo snorted, folding his arms.

Ignoring the soaked carpet and the sticky goo that coated the bottom of her feet, Jamie moved to Leo's side. She'd composed herself when she saw just how upset her spouse was. "What were you trying to do?"

"I was trying to get tea." He gave a small annoyed growl.

She gave him a small smile. "I'm sure it'll be okay. Now come on, let's get you cleaned up." She offered him her hand.

With a heavy sigh, he took it. As he passed Shinta, he shot him a withering gaze. "Not a word."

Shinta put up his hands in surrender, but his smile didn't fade. "Of course not!"

Leo was now in a decidedly foul mood as Jamie pulled him into the bathroom and started the shower. He stepped in, grateful he hadn't put any of his gear on yet. The warm water sprinkled down over his shoulders as he lowered his head with another heavy sigh. A soft warm hand slid down his arm and a shiver went through him. He turned to find Jamie looking up at him. Her honey-colored eyes were warm with love and understanding. He closed his eyes as she began to wash away the pink drink that covered his green skin. When she pressed her warm body against his, he let out a shuddering breath. Opening his blue eyes, he found her smiling at him. He smirked. Even with the water raining down on them, he could still smell her arousal. Dipping his head, he captured her lips. The bathing portion of the shower was now over.

* * *

It wasn't long before the large family was gathered again on the wide observation deck. Leo and Jamie were the last to arrive. Shinta grinned at them as they entered, but held his tongue. Raph and Cat were standing near the large windows, but it didn't seem like there was much stargazing going on. Katsu sat beside his parents yawning. Nearby, Liling and Sarah sat while Donnie stood behind them with a cup of what appeared to be coffee. Leo eyed him enviously.

Captain Taxal was seated in one of the large armchairs. "We'll be arriving soon. I hope you've all enjoyed the trip. I have already contacted Lady Marina to let her know we will be there soon."

Liling brightened. "Our room was really nice! I liked it a lot!"

Don chuckled. "That's because you were playing with all the gadgets half the night."

Liling blushed, while Sarah giggled. There had been a number of mechanisms in their rather large room. There had been a computer console, a device that resembled a television, a massaging chair, automatic shutters for the windows—which Don suspected were actually blast shields—and a number of other smaller items. The couple had heard her playing with all the devices during the night. By the time they got up, she knew how everything in the living area worked.

Leo took a step towards Donnie and the scent of real coffee hit him. He raised an eye-ridge. "Where did you get the coffee?"

Sarah looked up at him. "I brought it with us." She grinned up at her mate. "We can't have you cranky the whole time." Don snorted, but gratitude filled the bond. He set his hand on her shoulder and she squeezed it.

Leo frowned. _Well, crud. Why didn't I think of that? _Shinta made a small noise in his throat and ended up choking a bit on the swallow he'd taken of the same light brown drink they'd had the night before. Leo shot him a quick look that only made him cough more.

Kaz was sitting next to Shinta and caught the exchange. He raised an eye-ridge at his youngest cousin, who just shook his head in response. The door swooshed open and Kara came running in. A few moments later Ona stepped in with an irritated frown. Kaz knew that look all too well. He glanced at his daughter, who'd run around to hide on the other side of his chair. "What did you do?"

Kara made a face of disgust. "I don't want to brush my teeth."

"You have to brush your teeth."

Kara folded her arms and pouted. "But it tastes nasty."

Knowing this was about to turn into a battle he sighed, stood up, and took her hand. She made a little noise of protest as he pulled her from the room. Yoshi and Star snickered as they watched the display. Across from them, Mikey grinned as he popped another piece of fruit in his mouth.

Captain Taxal gave Mikey a funny look. That had to be the fifth Koko melon he'd seen the turtle eat. "Don't forget they have arranged breakfast for you."

Raph turned towards the captain. "Don't worry, he's a bottomless pit." He shot a thumb towards the door. "And the two that just left ain't far behind him."

Mikey chuckled, shooting the captain a grin. "Dude, that's just the warm-up."

Taxal began to laugh. A panel on the wall made a loud buzz. Setting his drink aside, he made his way to the panel. He pressed a button opening the two-way line. "Yes?"

"Captain, we are on approach to Mazaryn." Someone from the bridge relayed.

"I'll be right there." He closed the line and turned to his guests. "Please excuse me."

"Of course." Leo sat in an open chair.

Taxal started for the door, but paused, looking back at Sarah. "You've never seen Mazaryn, have you?"

She shook her head. "No." A part of her had always wondered what her birth planet might be like. But the desire to see it had dwindled over the years. Earth was home and it always would be.

The captain smiled. "I'll make sure to make one full orbit before landing."

He left and Don felt a flicker of anticipation flow through the bond. It surprised him how small it truly was. He gave her hand a squeeze and she smiled at him. By the time they could see the edge of the planet Kaz, Ona and Kara had rejoined them. Sarah and Mira moved to the large windows as Mazaryn came into view. Don, K-three, and Katsu followed them.

Mazaryn was a colorful planet. Its seas were a soft green intermixed with patches of red, orange, brown, and dark green earth. Mira smiled. "It's kind of pretty. Don't you think so, Mom?"

Sarah gave a small nod. "Yes, it is." She looked up at Donnie and he met her gaze. "But not nearly as pretty as home." He smiled and kissed her brow, then stepped behind her to wrap his arms around her. He knew she had chosen her words carefully, silently reassuring him where her heart remained. As they watched the planet turn beneath them and the pale blue-green clouds float in its atmosphere, love-filled the bond warming them to their core.

Beside them, Mira smiled. She had never even tried to imagine what her mother's homeworld might look like because she never believed she'd visit it – Shellri-La perhaps, but never Mazaryn. She was excited to see what the surface looked like and learn more about her heritage. Her aunt had told her many stories over the years, but now she was going to get to experience some of that herself.

K-three smiled as he felt her excitement roll through him. As long as his flower was happy, so was he. He pulled her a little closer, rubbing his cheek on her round head. Katsu leaned on the glass, trying to take in as much as he could. He had no idea what to expect. But if his sofu and sobo were royalty here, there had to be a castle or something to explore.

A few feet away, Leo frowned as he peered down at the mostly green and red planet. _This is where Dandrick was from._ The old wound felt like it had reopened. The anger and resentment twisted in his gut. He did not blame the Mazar people for what had happened, that would be irrational, especially since Sarah was one of them. But that didn't stop the hatred for Dandrick, which still burned deep inside him.

"Leo?" Jamie had been watching him. She'd seen the heartache and the anger cross his face. He looked down at her and she frowned. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head slightly. "Nothing, just old memories."

She cupped his cheek. He closed his eyes with a small sigh, leaning into her touch. "I'm here for you if those old memories get to be too much."

He opened his eyes with the tiniest of smiles. His hand came up to cover hers. "And you will never know just how grateful I am for that." Pulling her close, he kissed her warmly. Then, he lowered his head to bury his face in her neck and hair. He drew in a deep lungful of her wonderful scent. Jamie grounded him, helping him to push away the heartache of the past and focus on the present.

The ship began its slow descent and the clan moved away from the windows. It took several minutes before they finally came to a stop. Commander Loteh escorted them through the ship and into an elevator. The docking platforms stood very high off the ground and T-shaped. Their ride down had to be at least a hundred stories, perhaps more. From there, the group loaded into a hover bus. The clan observed their surroundings with curiosity. Most structures were small, no more than three levels. They passed a bustling market and several open-air restaurants. Couples strolled happily down sidewalks and through narrower passageways between the buildings. Young boys could be seen playing in the streets. In all, the place looked simple and peaceful.

Star noticed the one thing missing. "Where are all the little girls?"

Mikey leaned forward to prop his arms on the back of her seat. "Marina told us they keep the girls separate until they're ready to be bonded."

"Unbonded females put the ones who are bonded on edge." Sarah frowned remembering when she'd first met Marina and how she'd made her extremely nervous, particularly when she had been near Donnie. "Believe me, it's not a good feeling."

Mira could feel her mother's unease just discussing the topic. She had yet to meet an unbonded Mazar female herself. She hoped that was one trait she didn't pick up from her mother. K-three glanced down at her, wondering what had suddenly made her uncomfortable.

The castle came into view, its massive white stone walls stark against the brown-green landscape. Katsu and Liling gawked at the huge structure with four tall guard towers at its four corners. "Wow, it looks like a fairytale castle!" Kara's eyes were as wide as saucers.

Behind her, Ona giggled. "I guess it's a good thing I brought a prince." Kaz grinned at her tease.

Star grinned as well. "And a knight." Yoshi chuckled, giving her a soft kiss.

Shinta watched the couples, sighing inwardly. He glanced across from him where his uncle sat wearing a small sad smile. They were both left out now, neither having someone to share moments like this with. But he supposed it was far harder on Mikey as he once had someone to share them with. Shinta looked out the window at the boys playing ball in an alley. It made him wonder what it felt like to already know the perfect person for you existed from such a young age.

The bus passed through a gate and it closed behind them. It finally came to a stop near a large door. The family piled out and stood for only a moment before the large front door flew open. Marina darted out with a big smile. "Sarah!" The two met halfway in a tight embrace. "I'm so happy to see you!"

Sarah smiled as well. "It's been way too long."

Spotting the others, Marina released her sister to embrace first Donnie, and then make her way through the group. "Come on, we have breakfast ready. Stin and Zarin are waiting for us." Marina led them through the large doors. Mazar guards eyed the large clan as they entered. The hallways were enormous with ceilings more than twenty-feet in height. Her heels clicked on the marble floor as she excitedly brought them into the dining area.

Stin stood. "Donatello!" He grinned as he and Donnie shook hands. "It has been far too long!"

Don smiled back. "Yes, it most certainly has. I hope you've been doing well?"

Stin nodded. "Very well actually." Don stepped aside as Sarah hugged her brother-in-law.

"Your people certainly look happy." Leo shook his hand firmly.

Stin nodded again. "These last sixteen years have been peaceful and prosperous ones."

Sarah eyed the teen behind Stin. "Is this Zarin?" He was a handsome young man with dark brown hair and eyes like his mother, but his features resembled Stin more.

Marina hurried around the table to her son. "Yes!" She giggled. "He picked up some of the family traits, don't you think?"

Sarah grinned. "Most definitely!"

"Zarin, this is your Aunt Sarah and Uncle Donatello."

The boy smiled. "It's nice to finally meet you. My mother and father have told me a lot about you." He was a little uncertain of how he should greet them. But he didn't have to wonder long as his aunt wrapped him in a tight embrace.

Stin chuckled at his son's surprised expression. "Yes, she is another hugger like your mother."

K-three chuckled as well. "You can say that again."

Several servants entered carrying trays of food. "Ah, breakfast has arrived. Please, sit." Stin gestured to the large table. "I want to hear about what has happened to you since we last saw you. And it looks like we have some new faces too."

Settling along the table, they introduced the newer family members and immediately began exchanging stories of the past sixteen years. It didn't take long before Katsu and Kara began to fidget, their bellies full. "Dad, can I go explore the castle?" The twelve-year-old boy itched to get away from the boring adult conversation.

K-three frowned. "We're guests here, Katsu."

"It's alright. He can go. He'll be perfectly safe inside the palace walls," Marina said from up the table. "Our guards and servants have known you were coming for some time. He'll be looked after."

"Oh, I wanna go!" Kara bounced up and down.

"I could show them around." Zarin was pleased to have a reason to get away too.

Kaz and K-three exchanged a look. The Turtleoid finally gave a nod. "Alright, but behave and keep an eye on your cousin."

Katsu grinned, climbing out of his chair. "Come on, Liling!"

The teen glanced at her adoptive parents. Sarah smiled. "Go on." Liling grinned as well as she and Zarin hurried to catch up with their smaller cousins.

* * *

Leo: "Why do I always have to be the brunt of your jokes?"

Me: *giggling* "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! You're just too much fun to mess with."

Mikey: *laughing* Totally!


	3. New Things

A/N: Hey, guys, summer will be coming to an end soon, and so I will be prepping for the school year. So, updates may be a bit slow in the next few weeks until things get back to a routine. I hope you enjoy this chapter, courtesy of Raph. XD

* * *

Zarin eyed Liling as they walked along the corridors with Katsu and Kara. She glanced at him. "What's wrong?"

He blushed slightly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare. It's just the only female my age I've been allowed to be around is my mate, Trina. So, it's a bit odd. My mother has told me a lot about humans. She said you don't bond with a mate."

Liling shook her head. "No, not like your people do."

He watched Katsu stop with Kara ahead of them and point at a wall painted with a large mural. Zarin thought the idea sounded rather lonely. "That's kind of sad."

Liling frowned. "Sad? Why would it be sad?"

"It means your people spend their entire lives alone, locked inside themselves. How do you share with someone how you feel?" Zarin was genuinely interested. Like his father, he had an inquisitive mind.

Liling shrugged. "We just talk to each other."

"But that could lead to a lot of miscommunication."

She thought that over for a moment. "Yes, I guess it does. But we don't have any other way to communicate, except to talk."

Zarin frowned. It seemed like such a primitive way to relate to one another, especially one's mate. He decided it was a subject he'd have to discuss later with his parents. "Would you all like to see the gardens? They're my favorite place within the castle walls."

"Yeah!" Kara bounced excitedly.

Zarin smiled. "This way." They followed him up a side passage onto a stone patio. The large open area surrounded by walls was filled with plants of all shapes, colors, and sizes.

Liling gasped. "It's so pretty."

Kara grabbed her hand. "Let's go see."

Zarin chuckled as the small turtle dragged Liling through the rows of flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Beside him, Katsu grunted in exasperation at their exuberance. "Pfft, girls."

"Hey, Zarin!" A teen with long dark hair approached them. He blinked at Katsu. "Who are you?"

"This is my cousin, Katsu." Zarin jabbed a thumb at the boy. "This is my friend, Rikter."

Rikter blinked at Zarin. "Your cousin?"

Zarin rolled his eyes. "I told you last week my family was coming for the ceremony."

Rikter face-palmed. "Ah, crud. I forgot. I was coming to see if you wanted to play some street ball with me. But, uh, I'll make myself scarce."

Zarin smirked. "What? You don't want anyone to see how bad of an influence you are on me?"

Rikter snorted. "Me? I think you got that backward, buddy. I'm the good one."

Zarin chuckled. "Sure, you are."

"I'll take off. I know you have to spend time with your family. I'll see you at the ceremony."

"You don't have to leave. You can hang out with us. We don't care. We're just trying to avoid listening to the adults tell boring stories." Katsu told him.

Rikter looked at Zarin who shrugged. He grinned at the young turtle. "Well, if you really don't mind, that'd be cool. Otherwise, I'll have to sit at home and listen to my mother fuss about my room."

"Katsu! Zarin!" The boys looked up as Kara ran out of the garden. "Come see!" Before they could answer her, she darted back into the garden. The three hurried after her. They weaved their way through the rows to a small shed near the back wall. "Look!" Kara squatted down beside Liling. "What are they?"

Inside the shed were seven little animals covered in brown fur. To Kara, they reminded her of the old teddy she'd carried around for years. That poor teddy bear was on its last leg. It had been patched and mended and washed so many times, it was now threadbare and barely holding together.

"Oh, you found some Chewas." Zarin knelt beside Kara. Behind him, Rikter's gaze locked on Liling. He had only met his future mate a few times. She was several years younger than him, and so she was still kept separated with the other young girls. So, like Zarin, it felt odd to see a girl around his age — and a pretty one too.

Liling didn't seem to notice him, though, as she spoke to Zarin. "Are they nice? Can I hold one?"

"Sure, a lot of people keep Chewas as pets. They mainly eat berries and fruits and stuff." He picked one of the babies up, demonstrating how docile they were. "This one must have gotten into the garden to look for a place to have her pups."

Both Kara and Liling gently scooped one of the pups up. The babies fit in the palms of their hands. "How old are they?" Kara stroked the head of the one she held.

"Hmm, what do you think, Rikter?" Zarin examined the pup in his hands.

Rikter was more familiar with the animal as his mother kept a pair as pets. "Four, maybe five weeks."

Liling glanced at Rikter, finally noticing his presence. "Is that as big as they get?" She pointed at the mother. The larger Chewa was only about the length of her forearm, roughly the size of a small dog.

Zarin nodded. "Yes, they stay pretty small. The largest I've ever seen one was only a few inches bigger than that one. But it was a male, and they usually are a bit bigger than the females."

The one Kara held began to make a purring noise and rub its short muzzle against her cheek. She giggled, and her face lit up. She blinked big blue eyes up at Zarin. "Can I have one?"

Katsu frowned. "I don't think Uncle Leo will let you take it home with us."

"They are old enough. The mother is likely already making them eat solid food." Rikter saw no harm in taking one.

Liling sighed, setting the pup back on the ground beside its mother. "He's probably right, Kara."

The girl pouted, her bottom lip jutting out. "I'm going to ask Daddy anyways. He'll let me have one." Katsu frowned again. He was certain it wouldn't be up to Kaz. His great-uncle would have the deciding word. The Chewa in Kara's hands jumped onto her shoulder and began to purr again.

Zarin laughed. "That one definitely likes you."

Kara grinned, rubbing the pup behind a round ear. "I think I'll name you Kuma." She giggled at her cleverness.

Liling stood, smiling. "Well, they do look like little bears."

Rikter grinned at her with her long ebony hair and dark green eyes. She wore her favorite blue dress, which fluttered in the light breeze. "Hello, I'm Rikter, a friend of Zarin's."

She bowed politely. "I'm Liling, and this is Kara." She gestured at the small turtle who stood up beside her.

Zarin stood as well, dusting off his knees. "They're my cousins too."

"Really? But you don't look like them." Rikter gestured to Katsu and Kara.

"Liling is human. We adopted her. But we don't think of her like that." Katsu smiled at her. "She's just family." Their clan was very diverse in many ways, so they never thought much about it.

Liling blushed, giving him a grateful smile. Rikter smiled as well. "I was just curious. I'm sure Zarin already told you, we don't get to see girls other than our mates at our age."

Liling frowned as the five began to walk back to the patio. "So, where are all the girls?"

"Some parents keep them at home. But most send them to Maso on the other side of Mount Ruwon. It's like a school with a town surrounding it. But the only ones who live there are unbonded females." Zarin led the way as they reentered the palace.

* * *

Cat watched the children leave and glanced at Raph beside her. His plate was filled with the red berries he'd eaten earlier on the ship. "You're still eating those?"

"They're good." He continued to pop them into his mouth one after another.

"Yeah, but this pasta stuff isn't bad either." She pointed at the greenish noodles covered in white sauce with bits of an orange vegetable mixed into it.

Raph glanced at her bowl. "Nah, I'll stick with these."

Across from them, Mikey and Kaz had been stuffing themselves with everything available. Mikey picked up a slice of purple melon. "If you like those, you'll really like these, bro." He pushed the bowl towards him. Raph made a face, and Mikey smirked. "What? Are you scared of a melon?" On the other side of Cat, Star snickered. She'd learned how picky both Yoshi and Raph were when it came to food.

Raph glared at his brother. "No." He snatched three from the bowl. Mikey was right. They were good, but Raph preferred the red berries. "Satisfied?"

Mikey grinned. "Bro, you fall for that every time."

Raph growled, and Cat knew what was coming. She put a hand on his chest and shot Mikey a look. "Come on, none of that, guys. We're on vacation, right? Besides, I don't think Marina or Stin would appreciate it if you started breaking things." Folding his arms, Raph snorted. He decided to ignore his little brother in favor of the conversation farther up the table.

"The bonding ceremony won't be until tomorrow afternoon." Marina spread some jam on a roll.

Yoshi frowned. "What are we supposed to do till then?"

"Oh, there is much to do here in the capital. We have delightful open markets, there's the Seven Falls, the ancient rock tower, many wonderful theaters, and lots of excellent restaurants. Of course, there is plenty to do here as well. We have a hot spring beneath the castle, the gardens, the library, and — as the children have likely found out — a game room with all of Zarin's favorites." Marina glanced at Leo. "We even have a gym, if you'd like." He gave her a grateful smile.

"Man, that hot spring sounds pretty awesome." Mikey tossed a roll in his mouth. Beside him, Kaz nodded in agreement.

"Oh, the market sounds fun. I would like to get some souvenirs." Mira looked up at K-three and smiled.

He gave a soft chuckle and squeezed her hand. "Whatever you want."

The servants were already clearing away the dishes. Stin pushed back from the table. "Triv." He motioned to one of the servants, and the man obediently came to the emperor.

He bowed his head slightly. "Yes, sire?"

"Show my niece and her mate where the Patoo market is, and collect an escort on your way out." He smiled a Mira. "Triv will pay for anything you'd like."

Mira gasped and glanced at her mother. "Uh, that's very generous, but—"

Marina giggled. "Mira, you are royalty here. Money is not a problem. Enjoy yourself for once. Get whatever you want."

"As long as it'll fit in the ship." Leo sent her a small smile.

K-three shook his head. "It'd better not be _that_ big. I'm not going to carry it back." There was laughter as the couple stood to follow Triv from the dining room.

Yoshi looked at Star as they all stood. "Ya wanna go do somethin'?"

"Well, the Seven Falls sounds interesting."

This time Marina called for a servant. "This is Bur. He will take you anywhere you'd like." Yoshi and Star followed Bur out. She was now left with a much smaller portion of the family. "We'd like to give you all a tour of the palace."

Sarah smiled. "That would be nice."

Don put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Yes, I'm interested to see your library."

"Could we see the hot spring first?" Mikey grabbed a handful of fruit as they started into the hall.

Marina chuckled as Stin took her hand. "Sure, Mikey. It's this way."

Raph paused as they left to rub his stomach. It had started to feel funny. He shrugged it off, figuring he was getting used to the strange foods and drinks. As they walked towards the stairs leading down, Marina began to tell them the history of the palace. Raph only half-listened as he started to feel worse. When his stomach did a flip-flop, he stopped to lean on the wall for a moment.

Cat walked a few paces ahead of him next to Ona. She glanced back at him when she sensed he wasn't behind her. The expression he wore made her hasten back to him. "Hey, tough guy, you alright?"

Seeing the concern in her green eyes, he tried to smile, but his lips felt funny. "I'm fine, darlin'." Fighting past nausea, he slipped his arm around her, and they hurried to catch up with the group. But this only lasted for a few moments.

Cat could feel Raph's skin grow warm where she touched it. Looking up, she let out a gasp. "Raph!" His mouth was red and swollen. The others turned to stare at them as Cat lifted a hand to his face.

His brothers moved back to him. Donnie frowned, automatically recognizing the signs of an allergic reaction. He put a hand on his shoulder. "How do you feel, Raph?"

This time he tried to reply, "Nauseous." However, his tongue was numb, so the word came out garbled. "Babos." Don's frown deepened.

"What's wrong with him?" Intense concern burned in Leo's blue eyes.

"He's having an allergic reaction to something." Don looked at Cat. "What has he been eating and drinking in the last few hours?"

Her brow furrowed. "Just that soda stuff we had on the ship and those red berries."

"Seeca berries." Stin frowned at the turtle's appearance.

"Anything else?" Don prompted.

Raph jabbed a finger at Mikey and tried to say, "I ate that stupid melon you gave me!" But it didn't come out that way. "I ab ab bub e oo ab bee."

Mikey couldn't help the small laugh. "Bro, you sound like Elmer Fudd."

Raph glared, and Cat frowned. "What he said was you gave him that purple melon earlier."

"The Gavlo melon?" Marina shook her head. "It couldn't be that. I've never heard of anyone being allergic to Gavlo melon."

Don continued to frown. "In any case, we should probably see one of your physicians."

Stin nodded. "Of course."

"We'll meet you in their room." Worry began to grow in Marina as he left to fetch the doctor on-call within the palace.

Don met Raph's gaze. "If you start to feel worse, you have to tell us. This looks mild, but it could become more severe later."

"The bedrooms are this way." Marina headed down a side hall, and the others followed. Leo and Don kept close to Raph and Cat. Sarah frowned at her mate. She could feel how worried he was. Luckily, it wasn't long before they reached the bedroom.

Raph sat on the side of the large bed with a huff. Not only was he miserable, but this was also embarrassing. Cat sat beside him, her green eyes large with fear. They were only there a few moments when Stin and the doctor arrived. He was an older man with gray sprinkled through his brown hair. He asked the same questions as Don and then took a device the size of a TV remote from one of his pockets. The man approached Raph cautiously. "Your hand, please." The large turtle complied, and the doctor turned it over to hold the scanner over Raphael's wrist. He frowned at the results. "Most of the readings are within normal ranges except for his temperature. It's rather low."

Don could understand his confusion. This man had likely never examined anyone except the Mazar. "Our normal temp runs around 86."

The doctor looked even more confused. "His is 89."

Cat nodded. "He does feel too warm."

"It's only a slight fever. It's nothing to be too concerned about yet." Don looked at the doctor. "Can you tell what caused it?"

He gave a slow nod. "Give me a moment. I'll need to adjust the scanner." After pressing several buttons, he brought the scanner close to Raph's chest and abdomen. "Looks like the inflammation has been there for some time. I'd say at least three to four hours."

"See, it wasn't the melon I gave you. It was you suckin' down all those berries." Mikey gave a small but triumphant grin.

"I can give him something that will clear it up fairly quickly." The doctor pulled a tubular object from his other pocket and began twisting it to select the right medication.

Cat's eyes widened, and she put up a hand. "No!"

The doctor looked up. "What? Why not? The medication is perfectly safe."

Don shook his head. "For the Mazar, it may be, but not necessarily for us. We've had adverse reactions to human medications in the past. I am certain we would have the same reactions to yours."

"Are you sure?" The man looked at his patient, and Raph nodded.

Leo put a hand on his brother's shoulder as he addressed the physician. "We'd rather not take the risk."

The man glanced at Stin standing behind him. "Sire?"

"Do as they wish." The turtles knew their biology far better than he did.

Giving a heavy sigh, the doctor accepted the choice. "Based on the readings, the symptoms seem mild, and there are signs the inflammation is already subsiding. But at this rate, it may take a full day for you to recover."

Raph gave another nod. As miserable as he felt, he could still handle it for a day. He waved them all off, and Leo gave a small chuckle. "I think that means he wants us to leave."

"Yeah, go on, guys. I'll stay with Raph." Cat squeezed his hand.

Don was hesitant to leave. "I, or Sarah, could stay too." She nodded in agreement, feeling the same hesitation.

Cat shook her head again. "No, go on. We'll be fine."

Leo nodded. "Alright, let's let Raph rest." He ushered his family and the doctor out.

Stin paused in the doorway. "I'll leave a servant outside, just in case you need anything."

Cat's gaze reflected gratitude. "Thanks." Stin dipped his head and closed the door, leaving the couple alone. She turned to Raph. Now that she knew he was going to be alright, she found the situation a little amusing. "Well, I did try to tell you to slow down on those things." Raph snorted and rolled his eyes. She let out a small chuckle then gently turned his head to face her. "Don't worry, tough guy. I'll take care of you."

His dark eyes met her bright ones, and he wanted to grin at the mischievous but loving look in hers. He never was good with words anyway. So, he let his actions speak for him, pulling her close and holding her tightly.

* * *

A/N: Poor Raphie, I'll take care of you too! ;)


	4. Unforeseen

A/N: Here's a little pick-me-up for the weekend. :D

* * *

"I want to show you my game room." Zarin smiled at his cousins as they stepped back inside from the garden.

"Good call." Rikter looked down at Liling. "Zarin's got all the best video games."

Katsu hurried between them to grin up at Zarin. "That's cool. We saw all of the ones on the ship too."

Kara trailed behind Liling, cuddling her new pet. She was already thinking of all the things she'd do with the little Chewa. She giggled as it licked her cheek.

A few steps ahead, Zarin stopped at a corner to stare at something. Rikter moved to stand beside him. Down the hall, a man stood near another corner. He wore a dark green cloak, and he appeared to be waiting on something. Rikter frowned. "Who's that? I've never seen him around the castle before."

Zarin frowned as well. "I'm not sure." His gaze intensified as he watched the man pull an object from his pocket. "What's that?"

Katsu had stepped up behind them. "That's a blow-gun."

Zarin glanced at his cousin. "A blow-gun?" In the distance, he could hear his father talking with someone as he approached the lurking stranger. The teen gasped as he realized what was about to transpire. "He's going to shoot my father." He started forward, but Katsu caught his arm.

"Wait." The young turtle looked around himself for a weapon. Finding a stone that had made its way in from the patio, he stepped around the older boys and waited for the right moment to throw it. When Stin appeared at the other end of the hall with the doctor, the assailant raised the weapon. At the same time, Katsu's stone struck the man in the back. The man jerked, and the dart harmlessly struck the high ceiling on the far wall. It went unnoticed by Stin and the doctor as they hurried past.

The three boys jumped back around the corner when the stranger spun in their direction. Zarin peeked around the corner to watch the man glance around himself, then glower at Stin's receding form. Finally, the would-be-assassin stormed off.

"What was that about?" Rikter had never seen anyone attempt to assassinate their emperor before.

Zarin grimaced as he leaned against the wall. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out." He looked down at Katsu, and a grin spread across his face. "You were awesome."

Katsu shrugged, but his gold-brown eyes shinned. "We're ninjas. It's what we do."

Liling glanced between the boys. "Shouldn't we tell someone?" Surely, if they told one of the adults, they could catch the man.

Zarin's frown returned. "I didn't get a good look at him. His hood was covering his face. I don't know who he was."

"Then we'd better follow him." Rikter pointed out.

Zarin nodded. "Yeah, that's a good idea."

Liling didn't think it was a good idea at all. "Don't you have cameras? Couldn't we look at those?"

The elder cousin shook his head. "We don't have those in this part of the castle."

"All right, let's go then." Rikter and Zarin turned to sprint up the hallway. Katsu followed, excited to be putting his skills to good use. Sighing, Liling took Kara by the hand and hurried after them.

* * *

Ona glanced over her shoulder as she walked at the rear of the group with Kaz. "Will Uncle Raph be okay?"

Kaz smiled reassuringly. "If he wasn't, they wouldn't have left him."

Ahead of them, Marina and Stin took a staircase leading down. The group followed them through a passage into a cavernous room that was cut out of the natural stone beneath the castle. In the floor, a natural pool had formed by the hot spring. Mikey beamed. "Awesome."

A young male servant approached them. He bowed. "My lord, I didn't realize you wished to use the spring today. I will make certain all is prepared for you."

"That won't be necessary. I won't be using it, but I believe some of our family will." Stin smiled at Mikey who grinned back.

"Definitely."

Kaz observed the pool of water with curiosity. "Hey, babe, you wanna try it?"

Ona's eyes sparkled. "It does sound nice."

Marina giggled at the three's enthusiasm. "Then we'll leave you here. Have fun. Oh, and if you need anything at all, just tell Zeek here. He'll get it for you."

Mikey glanced at the rest of his family. "Anybody else wanna join in? It looks pretty sweet."

Don eyed the pool. It certainly did look relaxing. "Maybe later, Mikey."

The youngest brother shrugged as the group left. He turned to see the servant watching them. Zeek smiled politely. "Please, make yourselves comfortable." He gestured towards the water.

Mikey and Kaz both started pulling off their gear, but Ona blushed. "Um, I don't have a swimsuit."

Kaz frowned. "Yeah, you're definitely gonna need one of those." He had no desire for other guys to see his wife naked, not to mention his own father.

Zeek smiled, giving her body a critical look. "I will fetch you one, my lady."

Kaz frowned as the young man left the room. He didn't like how the guy had looked at her. He slipped an arm around her. "I'll wait with you."

Mikey lowered himself into the warm water and closed his eyes. It had been a long time since he'd been in a hot spring. He sighed as the bitter-sweet memory swept over him.

**-Flashback-**

…Kala was breath-taking. Her body was slim and not particularly muscular, but shapely nonetheless. There were a few faded bruises on her stomach that could just barely be seen in the dimness. He traced a finger over one and lifted his eyes to meet hers. She trembled beneath his touch, and her eyes filled with shame.

He pulled her to him, pressing her body against his. He shook with barely suppressed rage. "That monster! How could he do that to you!" He turned his head to bury his nose in her hair. She shuddered as well, wrapping her arms around him. She could feel the incredible power beneath his taunt muscular arms. There was safety here, strength and love. She never wanted to leave them again.

He took a shaky breath and stepped back to look at her. "No one will ever lay a hand on you again, I swear." … Taking her hand, he led her to the water's edge.

Kala stuck her toe in the water and nearly jumped. "It's warm!"

Mikey laughed, his eyes dancing in the lantern light. "It's a hot spring." … He smiled. "I thought you might appreciate some private swimming lessons." He pulled her a little farther into the warm water until she was waist-deep.

She glanced down at her arm. "But…"

He smiled coyly. "You trust me, right?" She nodded and he grinned. Taking her hands, he pulled them over his shoulders. "Then hold on."

**-End of Flashback- **

Mikey let out another heavy sigh. That was so very long ago it seemed like another lifetime. All that had mattered in those sweet moments had been making her happy, hearing her laugh, and seeing her smile. But this was not _that_ hot spring, and she was no longer with him. He was millions of miles from home, sitting in strange-colored water. _I miss you._

"Dad?" Kaz's hand landed on his shoulder, and Mikey looked up to see him frowning at him. "Anything wrong?"

Mikey shook his head, a distant look in his eyes. "Just remembering the first time I took your mom swimming. It was in a hot spring." He smiled. "She was so beautiful."

Kaz frowned, squeezing his father's shoulder warmly. "I miss her too."

Mikey met his gaze. "I know you do."

Zeek returned with a set of clothing. "I think these will fit. Would you like me to show you where you may change?"

Ona took the offered suit. "Yes, please."

Zeek turned to lead the way back into the corridor. Kaz walked with them, eyeing the young man. Zeek stopped and opened a door. "You may change in here." Ona stepped inside, and Kaz followed, giving the young man a suspicious look. Zeek seemed unfazed by the behavior. He was used to possessive males. After all, he lived on a planet full of them. He turned, leaving the couple alone, to step back into the spring room and came to the poolside nearest Mikey. "Is there anything I can get you, sir?"

Mikey looked up at him. "I could really go for some dessert. You got any ice cream, cake, or something?"

Zeek thought for a moment. "I'm sure I can find something for you in the kitchen. Would you like a drink as well?"

Mikey smiled. "That sounds great, dude." He glanced over his shoulder. "Uh, you better bring enough for my son too."

Zeek chuckled. "I'll be back shortly." By the time he returned from the kitchen with a tray full of goodies, Kaz and Ona were in the spring. He settled the tray beside the water. "If you need anything else, I'll be nearby." He glanced at the couple, and Kaz pulled Ona into his lap. He couldn't help but be amused as he left to wait near the door of the chamber.

Mikey laughed. "You're being a little paranoid there, Kaz."

The younger turtle snorted. "I know when somebody's eyeing my wife."

Ona giggled. "Kazzey, guys his age are already bonded on this planet."

He snorted again, his grip tightening on her. "I don't care. I don't like the way he's been lookin' at you."

Ona giggled again, leaning back into him. "Well, I guess it's a good thing I like my guys with green skin." Kaz finally cracked a smile, and Mikey laughed again.

* * *

K-three couldn't help but be tickled by the huge grin on Mira's face as she looked at the bustling market place. Vendors of all kinds lined the streets selling everything from jewelry to fish. "This is incredible." Her dark eyes scanned the booths until she spotted one with clothes. "Oh! Aunt Cat would love one of those." And so, the browsing began.

K-three followed his petite mate from booth to booth. Although the people here didn't freak out because of their appearance, it didn't mean they were all happy to see them either. Some of the vendors shot them angry looks while others ignored them, but most watched them with extreme curiosity and, perhaps, suspicion. At least, until their royal escort and two guards were noticed. Then, it was mainly curiosity. Several of the women whispered to one another as the small group passed.

The attention made him feel strangely nervous. Mira held his hand, using the physical contact to keep the crowd's emotions at bay. As long as they remained touching, it was easier for her to control her empathic powers. In effect, she was making herself oblivious to the onlookers. Her spirits remained high as she gravitated to a stall with attractive necklaces. "These are beautiful."

The couple working the stand smiled cordially. "They are all hand made." The woman picked up a gold one with a pink stone. "This one would look lovely on you." She held it out to Mira. The chain was made of pairs of birds with interlocking talons connected by the tips of their wings. The stone was set at the center of a golden flower.

Mira blushed. It had to be expensive. "How much?"

The man waved a hand. "Oh, not much, just twenty nik."

She frowned and looked over at their escort, Triv. "Is that a lot?"

Triv opened his mouth, then reconsidered his response. Despite being told she could spend whatever she liked, the turtle had not purchased anything extravagant. She had been rather frugal from what he'd seen. He smiled. "No, my lady, not much at all. Actually, it's quite a deal."

She continued to frown. She didn't need her empathic powers to tell he was lying. The piece had to be very costly from his reaction. Sighing inwardly, she turned back to the vendor. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't."

"But I can." K-three squeezed her hand as she turned to look up at him. "You deserve to have something as well, my flower. And I think this is perfect." Behind Mira, Triv smiled again before he turned to pay for the necklace.

Mira shook her head. "But I—"

K-three smiled, but his eyes held a touch of sadness. He cupped her cheek. "I only wish I could give you so much more."

Her gaze misted over slightly as she felt his regret fill her heart. She covered his hand with hers. "Kane…"

Triv took the now boxed up necklace from the merchant and held it out to K-three. The Turtleoid started to reach for it, but another hand snatched the box. "Hey!" He called after the young man with dark hair wearing a gray hooded shirt. Growling, he shot after him. The guards moved to follow. "Stay with her!" He ordered over his shoulder.

The young man had a good start on him. He might not catch him before he disappeared into the crowd. Spotting a metal vase, he threw it. It struck the boy in the back of the head, and he went down. K-three was on top of him in a matter of seconds. The thief started to get up, but the angry Turtleoid pinned him to the ground with a knee between the shoulder blades.

"That doesn't belong to you." K-three gathered the necklace where it had fallen out of the box and tucked it back inside.

The guy snarled, glaring up at him. "Get off me you filthy turtle!"

The crowd around the two began to murmur. K-three's skin prickled with the sensation of distrust and animosity around them. He was glad when Triv, Mira, and the two guards appeared. Triv frowned at the onlookers. "Back to your business." The people recognized the emblem on his breast that indicated he belonged to the emperor's household, and they quickly dispersed. Triv turned his attention back to their street thief. "Take him into custody." He told one of the guards.

K-three moved as the Mazar guard pulled the young man to his feet. Mira stepped to his side, and he wrapped a protective arm around her, then frowned at Triv. "What was that about?" He glanced around the market near them.

Triv frowned as well. "The Turtleoids are still viewed with a bit of cynicism and fear, I'm afraid. Relations have come a long way between our worlds, but few of them attempt to come here. Just like few Mazar ever go there." He looked at the one remaining guard and then at the petite turtle. "This is why Lord Stin ordered the escort. Because although, in reality, you are royalty, it does not mean you will not experience some prejudice due to past events."

Both Mira and K-three frowned. It seemed, no matter where they went in the universe, they were still the outsiders. Feeling her sadness at this knowledge, he pulled her close, cupping the back of her head and planting a kiss on top of it. He shot their escort a look. "I think we'd like to return to the castle now."

Triv appeared disappointed. "My lord, do not let this one incident represent our people. If you don't mind me saying so, I know of much better places than this."

Mira lifted her head from her mate's chest. "What do you mean?"

Triv smiled. "Come, let me show you."

* * *

A/N: Updates may be a bit slow through the end of October. I have several projects going at once at the moment. I hope you enjoy. The next chapter is "Little Rascals," just to give you an idea of what's coming. XD


	5. Little Rascals

A/N: My novel is 60,000 words and counting, so I should be done in a few weeks and then I'll put my full focus back into this fic. Thanks for your patience everyone!

* * *

The small hovercar proceeded through the narrow streets and up along a mountain ridge. The ride was quiet. Bur, who was in a foul mood, hadn't spoken much to Yoshi and Star. The couple sat in the back, watching the alien landscape pass. To their left, an ocean with pale green waves crashing against red sand. To their right, a sprawling city nestled between three mountains.

"Hey, look. There's the castle." Star pointed out the window. From this vantage, you could see just how large it was in comparison to the surrounding buildings. White walls rose up into lookout towers along its perimeter. It was unlikely the towers were used now, but they would have proved a strong defense in ancient times before the Mazar were united as one people.

Yoshi leaned towards her to see out the window. One of his hands found her thigh, and he gave it a squeeze. Star giggled. "Yoshi." Her gaze shot towards their driver. "What are you doing?"

He let out a rumbling chuckle. "Somethin' wrong, doll?"

He smirked at her, and she narrowed her eyes. Oh, so he was going to play games, was he? _Well, I can play too._

Bur's tone was full of boredom when he finally spoke. "Here we are, Seven Falls." He stepped out and opened Yoshi's door. Star scooted close to him. When the turtle went to get out, she ran her fingernails along the bottom edge of his shell. He paused, and she snickered. She knew he could feel the vibration against his backside. And she also knew it tickled. Yoshi shivered and quickly moved out of the car to stare at her. Then, he grinned and offered her his hand. She slid from the vehicle, and Bur closed the door behind her. "I'll wait here for you."

The car that followed came to a stop, and two guards climbed out. Yoshi was irritated Stin had assigned them an escort. He was capable of taking care of his wife. Sighing inwardly, he took her hand, and they headed down a well-worn path marked with arrows. It led them through a narrow opening between two rock faces and into a small canyon. Here several waterfalls cascaded from sheer walls made from surrounding mountains. The noise was incredible, and so was the sight. Seven waterfalls crashed into the bowl-shaped canyon below. It was breathtaking.

This place was a tourist spot as guard rails enclosed the overlook. Star moved towards an information board near the edge of the overlook. She frowned and leaned up to speak in Yoshi's ear. "Too bad we can't read Mazar."

He let out a snorted laugh. "We didn't come to read about the place, we came to see it." He gave a quick look over his shoulder at the two men standing several feet behind them. Yoshi pulled Star along the walkway that climbed up and beneath one of the falls where it ended. The overlook wasn't overly crowded, but it was busy. Couples and groups of young teenage boys were clustered along the pathway. The two finally stopped, standing beneath the fall that cascaded over the path. A gentle mist fell on them as they stood beneath it. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, and she let a contented sigh. Then, she giggled as his hand slipped under the front of her shirt.

When he lowered his head to kiss her shoulder, she turned her head towards him. "You're playing with fire, big guy."

Her back vibrated as he began to laugh. "Don't I know it." He grinned mischievously. "I guess we better cool off." He was just tall enough to reach a hand up and divert some of the water flowing over their heads. Star squealed as the foamy green liquid hit her. Yoshi's laughter increased as he too was covered in the spray. He stepped back when she turned to glare at him, her pale blue t-shirt nearly see-through. The mock look didn't last long as she burst into laughter and grabbed his mask tails, pulling him down into a passionate kiss. When they broke apart, the roguish smile was back. "What do ya say we ditch these stiffs?" He angled his head at the two men standing near the entrance to the overlook, chatting casually and not paying them much attention.

Her grin was just as impish. "I'm in. But how we gonna do that? They're standing in the entrance."

He smirked. "I'm a ninja, doll. Remember?" A few minutes later, they'd slipped past the guards and Bur, and snuck down into a small forest at the foot of the nearest mountain, a few hundred yards away down a gentle slope. When they were safely beneath the cover of the trees, Yoshi stopped to smirk at her. "Now, let's go explore this place for real."

* * *

"Wow, this is spectacular." Don scanned the three levels of the library. The bottom contained several desks with computer interfaces on them. The second and third levels both held actual books with a seating area on each. The room was shaped like a large cylinder, and one-quarter of the wall boasted a tall slim window that stretched the height of the room, allowing natural light to fill the space.

Marina tugged at Sarah's arm. "Come over here. I want to show you something." Don, Leo, Jamie, Shinta, and Stin followed. She pointed at the paintings lining the lower level. They each depicted a man and woman, some with crowns and some with swords. "These are the past emperors. Most of them are probably related to you in some way. Neither of my parents came from this bloodline." She glanced at Sarah with a touch of sadness in her dark brown eyes. "Your mother was the last of this line, except for you."

"So, these are my ancestors?" Sarah began to circumvent the room. She stopped to gaze up at each portrait with interest and her own touch of sadness. The group followed, giving the pictures their full attention. There had to be two hundred of them—some big and some small, some so old you could barely see the person. One was even fringed in burn marks as if it had been rescued from a fire or raid. As they walked, the images became sharper and newer. Until they stood staring up at the second to last painting that was slightly larger than the others. Sarah frowned while both Don and Leo scowled.

"I don't mean this as an insult, but _that_ is just not right." Leo glanced at Marina and Stin, who wore frowns of their own. Hanging on the wall was a picture of Zenfered with Marina's mother, not Sarah's.

"I'm sorry, but from what I was told, he had the one with Queen Suanza burned after she died." Marina's eyes misted over as Sarah turned to meet her gaze. "I know it's not fair or right. And I wish I could change it or fix it. But we have no way to do that now."

Sarah sighed, and Don placed a hand on her shoulder. He could feel the hurt and indignation that came with the knowledge her mother would never be represented here in this display of past rulers. Zenfered had married into her family's line, after all, not the other way around. She allowed the emotions to roll around inside her for a moment, then released them to vapor. "It's okay. I understand." Don wasn't sure she did. He could still feel her resentment, though she buried it deep. Slipping an arm around her, he pulled her close.

"I have a suggestion." Everyone turned to look at Shinta, who'd been quiet most of the tour. "Why don't you make a new one with only her, and put it before this one."

Stin shook his head. "We actually thought of that, but Zenfered destroyed most of the images of her. We don't have a reference to work with. And the images we do have are of her as a child."

Don thought this over, then turned to his petite mate. "Did you bring the memory locket with you?"

Sarah lifted a brow. "Yes, it's in my luggage."

Marina lit up. "That's a great idea. The memory disk had a very clear image of her. We could use it as a reference."

"Yes, I believe it would do." Stin smiled as Shinta. "Good idea." Shinta grinned in return.

Sarah gazed up at the wall and smiled as well. "I think that one is my favorite." She pointed at the very last portrait, which was of Stin and Marina. In the corner of the frame was a photo of the Hamato clan on the day Zenfered had been defeated, and Stin named emperor. "Though, I look absolutely terrible in that picture."

A small chuckle ran through the group. Don kissed her brow with a smile. "No worse than I do, my love."

* * *

Zarin peeked around the corner of the stone hallway. The person they'd been following – his father's would-be assassin – was headed into the older section of the castle. He knew from experience there were all types of unseen passages in this section. He turned back to his companions. "We need to stick close." When he turned back, the man was gone. Zarin stepped out into the hall. "Hey, where'd he go?"

Rikter stood beside him. "He disappeared that fast?"

Liling looked between their shoulders at the empty hall. "Maybe he went into a room?"

Katsu frowned. "Where do you think he went?"

Zarin sighed. "There's no telling. There are dozens of passages in the part of the castle. He could be anywhere."

Rikter frowned. "Let's go find your dad, in case that guy tries something else."

"Yeah." Zarin reached out through the bond to locate his parents. "They're this way." He led them out into the main passage and towards the library. They found Stin and the others still exploring the large room.

Katsu, Kara, and Liling's eyes grew wide at the sight. "Oh, this is so neat." Liling stopped in the middle to look up at the two upper levels.

Sarah and Marina were on the third level, where Marina was telling her that this was the most extensive collection of actual books on Mazaryn. On the second level, Stin was showing Leo and Jamie a map of the planet and telling them how they had finally become a united people. On the bottom level, Don and Shinta sat at one of the terminals, scrolling through the library's vast database. The pair looked up as the kids entered. Donnie smiled. "Are you guys having fun?"

Katsu ran over to stand beside his grandfather. "This place is huge." He began to tell him about all the things they'd seen so far.

Kara joined them, and Shinta lifted an eye-ridge at the little animal sitting on her shoulder. "What's that?"

Kara grinned, rubbing its round head. "Zarin called it a Chewa. We found him in the garden. Isn't he cute?" As the young turtle began to give an enthusiastic description of the encounter, Shinta's gaze went to Liling in the center of the room.

Rikter stepped up beside her. "Hey, let me show you something really neat." He smiled and gave her arm a little tug. "Come on." Liling smiled as well and followed the boy onto a small platform that rose up through the two levels and into another, which Shinta hadn't noticed earlier. The turtle frowned as the two teens disappeared from view.

The little platform stopped inside a dome-shaped room made of glass. In the center was a small fountain surrounded by flowers. "They call this the observation room." Rikter put a hand on her back and urged her towards the glass. "Come, you can see the whole valley from here all the way out to the coast."

Liling gasped, the sight was indeed amazing. Below them the capital city of Zarak was spread out, to the east stood a cluster of small mountains, to the west was a vast forest with the most incredible shades of green and orange, to the north was a much larger mountain, and to the south glimmered the foam-green ocean. "It's beautiful."

Rikter leaned towards her and pointed through the window at the massive solitary mountain. "That's Mount Ruwon."

"Oh, where the girls live?"

"Yes, Maso is just beyond it."

Liling looked up at him with curiosity. "Do you have an intended mate like Zarin?"

He gave a small nod. "Yes, I've only met Meela a few times, though. She's only nine."

Liling frowned, not sure how to process that. "They pair you up that early?"

He gave another nod. "Yes, at Meela's age is when parents start to look for compatible mates. Haven't your parents chosen a mate for you?"

Liling blushed. "Uh, no. That's not really done much on our world anymore. We're free to choose who we want to be with. And we're normally a lot older too."

Rikter seemed intrigued by this information. "That's odd. Why wait? Here once a female is mature and able to bear children, they are considered an adult and old enough to mate. It's very rare for one not to." He lifted a dark brow. "Does your species not mature until they are older?" He could see how they might have to wait if that was the case.

Liling blushed. "Well, no, not exactly."

He was relieved. "So, I wasn't wrong to assume you were of mating age?"

The teen took a step back. "Um, I think I'd like to go back downstairs. My father will start to worry." She hurried over to the platform.

Rikter frowned. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it. It was only a question. I've never met any humans before."

Liling made a conscious effort to relax. "It's all right. I understand." But she didn't leave the platform.

He smiled as he walked over to join her. "We're okay, then?"

She nodded. "Yes, but we really do need to get back. Aren't we supposed to be watching for that man?"

Rikter nodded. "True." He hit the button that lowered the platform.

Even though she'd tried to relax, Shinta still saw the tension in her as she came off the elevator and walked at a slightly quicker pace than usual to Donatello. The older turtle glanced up at her and then at the teen that was riding up to the second level where Zarin was. Don caught his daughter's hand. "Are you all right, sweetheart?"

She nodded with a small smile. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Shinta asked.

She gave him the same smile. "Yes, Rikter was showing me the observation room. We're really high up. I think it made me a little nervous." Shinta frowned, not at all convinced. He resolved to keep a closer eye on the boy from here on out.

The group stayed in the library for a while longer, until Stin declared they should take lunch on the patio. Zarin wasn't happy about this. It would mean the assassin would have a great deal more opportunity to attack his father. The teen hurried along beside him down the hall. "It might be better to have lunch inside. I think it's going to rain."

Stin lifted a brow as they stepped outside. The sky was a bright blue with not a cloud in sight. He gave his son a sidelong look. "I don't remember there being rain today, and it certainly doesn't look like it."

Zarin frowned, trying to come up with another reason not to eat out in the open. "We still might want to eat inside. It was getting pretty warm earlier."

Marina gave their son a skeptical look. "It's not warm at all. Actually, it's quite comfortable."

"But-." Zarin started.

Stin put up his hand with a stern expression. "Enough. We wish to enjoy the day."

Zarin frowned but did not protest any more. Rikter stepped up beside him in the entryway with the same frown. "What do we do now? That guy could try anything out here."

Zarin took in a deep breath. He wasn't going to let anything happen to his father. "We'll just have to keep an eye out. I'll watch the balcony and upper levels. You watch the garden and walls."

The pair rejoined the others as Sarah and Jamie were awing over the little Chewa. "He's so cute." Sarah held the little ball of fur while Jamie, Marina, and Kara crowded around.

"What is it called?" Jamie smiled as she rubbed its head, and it began to purr.

"They're Chewas. We keep them as pets. They're very gentle most of the time." Marina looked down at Kara. "Where did you say you found him?"

Kara pointed out into the garden. "Back there in a shed."

About that time, Mikey, Kaz, and Ona appeared from inside. Marina had sent a servant to let them know lunch was ready. Ona joined the girls ogling the pup. "Oh, how adorable."

Kara grinned and bounced. "Can I keep him, Mama?"

Ona flinched. "What?"

"Zarin said I could have him. Can I take him home?"

"Uh, well..." Ona looked up at Sarah and Jamie, uncertain of what to tell her. But they weren't sure either.

Kara took Kuma from Sarah and ran over to her father. "Can I have him, Daddy? Please!"

Kaz looked down at the bear-like creature and then at Leo. "A little help here?"

Leo frowned and glanced at Stin. The Mazar nodded. "They are easy to care for. They eat fruits and vegetables mainly and sometimes grubs."

Leo looked back at his great-niece, who was staring up at him with bright blue eyes that reminded him so much of Kala. He sighed. "All right, but you will have to be responsible for him."

Kara grinned. "Oh, I will! I promise!" She ran over to show Mikey her new pet. "Look, Sofu. I'm going to name him Kuma."

Mikey took the pet from her and gave him a good look. "He is a pretty cool little dude." He handed him back to Kara with a smile. Kuma jumped up on her shoulder and rubbed his head against her cheek. Mikey laughed. "Looks like he's already made himself at home."

* * *

Cat leaned against the headboard with Raph's head in her lap. She could tell how miserable he was. He let out a heavy sigh as her fingers stroked his head and shoulders. The swelling was already going down, but it wasn't enough to be able to talk clearly yet. It did seem to be a mild reaction, as the doctor had said. "How are you feeling?"

The large turtle gave an annoyed grunt. Cat gave a small chuckle and leaned forward to kiss Raph's cheek. "You'll be all right, tough guy." He snorted, making her chuckle again.

There was a knock at the door, and Raph sat up. Cat frowned, wondering who it could be. Raphael watched intently as she opened the door. A young servant smiled back at them. "Excuse the intrusion, but Lady Marina wanted to let you know lunch was ready."

Cat glanced over her shoulder at Raph. "I think we'd rather stay here."

The servant smiled. "She also said you would say that." He held out a tray stacked with goodies. Then he looked past her at Raph. "They also said to make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids to help flush out your system."

Cat took the tray. "I'll make sure he does." The servant nodded and left. As Cat set the tray on the small table, Raph closed the door. She turned back to see him eyeing the food. She frowned again. "I bet you're hungry. All you ate this morning were those berries." Raph tried to scowl, but it didn't come out quite that way.

"Aww, don't pout." She picked up the large cup of water from the tray. "You get to have lots of yummy water." He huffed, folding his arms. Setting the cup back down, she sauntered over to him and slipped her arms around his neck. Letting out a heavy sigh, he finally wrapped his arms around her waist. She kissed his cheek again before meeting his gaze. "You know, it kinda feels like we're at a fancy resort. We've got a nice big room and room service. And I get you all to myself."

He tried to smile this time, but again it didn't quite form. Cat smirked. "And I get plenty of peace and quiet." He suddenly scooped her up and tossed her on the bed. She giggled. "Oh, are you going to make me pay for that?" He gave a firm nod as he advanced on her. The hall outside their room echoed with fits of laughter as he attacked with deft fingers.

* * *

A/N: Looks like someone might be a little jealous. ;D


	6. Foot Loose

A/N: Thank you all so much for being patient with me. I know it has been many months since the last update. I've been very busy in the real world, but I should be getting more time once summer hits.

* * *

Belik glanced around the corner into the dim chamber. A pointless action as his presence was already known. But he hoped the discrete entrance might sedate his mate.

"Belik! Get in here, you, fool!"

He cringed. The tactic proved useless. Easing around the corner and slithering along the wall, he tried to think fast. "My dear, it wasn't my fault. Something hit me in the back of the head. I would have had him otherwise."

The woman with dark hair streaked with gray turned to face him. Her brown eyes narrowed into slits. "Not your fault!" She advanced on him, and Belik took a step back into the wall.

He put up his hands, his heart racing. "Please, Ani, everything was going as planned, and then, out of nowhere, this rock hit me. I missed him, but I won't next time. I swear."

Ani dragged both hands down her slender face and took a deep frustrated breath. "I should never have allowed you to talk me into letting you handle this. It's too important. You'll just screw it up like you do everything else."

Guilt and self-loathing swamped Belik, which only resulted in satisfaction from Ani's end of their bond. He reached for her, and she brushed his hands away. "I won't mess this up. I promise. I know how important this is to you."

She snorted. "Do you? He was my brother, not yours."

He sighed. This discussion never changed things. His mate had wanted revenge from the moment her brother was banished. She'd lied, cheated, and done many unsavory acts to land a job within the palace walls. As a maid, she moved freely through most of the castle, but she was still denied access to the royal chambers. Otherwise, she would have taken care of the Emporer long before now. Ani held Lady Marina and Lord Stin responsible for Dandrick's banishment and ultimate death. She believed the story they'd told the court was a lie meant to slander her family's reputation. And it had most definitely done that.

Belik wrapped her shoulders in two meaty hands and held her gaze. "I will not fail again."

She tilted her head as she probed their bond. Finally, she nodded. "Good. Now, you bring him to me alive. I want to make him—and her—suffer like I have suffered all these years."

He frowned. "But if I bring him to you alive, the queen is sure to find him. She can follow their bond."

Ani sneered. "Not if she's screaming in agony."

* * *

Zarin scanned the balconies facing the patio, where the family ate, for the hundredth time. Across from him, Rikter did the same with the lush garden area. Their assassin had yet to show himself, though.

"These gardens are beautiful." Jamie waved a hand at the colorful patches of fruits and flowers.

Marina grinned. "You're welcome to explore them. There are many paths, and I'd love to show you a few of my favorites."

Leo glanced at his wife and smiled. "We'd like that." He stood and offered Jamie his hand. Her eyes sparkled as she took it.

"I think I'll wait here for you." Stin took a sip of his tea.

"I think I will too." Mikey turned toward one of the servants. "Yo, waiter dude, could you bring me some more of that chocolate cake stuff and those pink fluff ball things."

Stin laughed, but Kaz's head came up. His plate sat as empty as his father's. "Make that two."

Kara pulled at Ona's hand. "I want to show you where we found Kuma."

Ona glanced at Kaz. He smirked. "What? I'm not into fuzz balls. She must've got that from you."

She raised a dark brow. "So, you're just gonna sit here and stuff your face?"

His smirk widened into a grin. "Yep, have fun." Ona snickered and tugged on his mask tails as she followed Kara into the garden.

Marina led Leo and Jamie, as well as Don and Sarah, along a cobblestone path. Shinta opened his mouth to ask for a second helping of dessert too when Liling grabbed his hand. "Come on, Shinta. Let's go see. I saw a little earlier, and I think you'll like it."

"Uh, okay." The turtle blushed as she pulled him away from the table and down the trail the adults took.

Rikter frowned and started to stand, but Zarin cleared his throat. "I think we'll hang out here too. We've seen the gardens before." Zarin met his friend's eyes. The boy lowered himself into his seat, but he kept glancing in the direction Shinta and Liling had disappeared.

The young turtle shot a look over his shoulder in the direction of their table. If he'd had hair on his neck, it would be standing on end. His eyes fell to Liling, who led him along by one of his large fingers. Tension knotted her shoulders, but lessened the farther they retreated into the garden. Shinta frowned. "Liling, is something bothering you?"

She released his hand and wrapped her arms around herself. Her eyes fell to the ground. "No, not really."

"What do you mean, not really?" He walked beside her and tried to catch her eyes. She shrugged, and his frown deepened. Coming to a stop, he found her shoulder. "Hey, you can talk to me. If somethings wrong, just say so."

She sighed and finally lifted her head to look at him. "Nothing's wrong. I just…"

Shinta watched her gaze flick back in the direction of the boys. "You don't have to hang out with them if you don't want to. This world has a lot of strange customs. They treat their boys and girls differently than we do on Earth. And with good reason from what I've seen."

Liling's frown deepened. She was beginning to feel more awkward as the day went on. But even if she didn't hang out with them, Kara would. And Liling didn't want to leave the boys to keep an eye on the small turtle. She shook her head and forced a smile. "No, it's fine. Let's check out this garden, okay?"

She started down the winding path again, and Shinta watched her with a heavy heart. He suspected what—or rather who—troubled her. Shinta's chest tightened as a protective fury began to grow in his gut.

* * *

Belik pushed the curtain aside and peered down at the group in the garden. He'd need to separate Stin from the others. It was the only way. The pack at his waist held a syringe containing a strong sedative. Per his mate's irrational demand that he bring the Emporer back alive, he'd removed the poisonous darts. A part of him doubted the sanity of this new plan. The original plot had been simple - kill Stin with an untraceable dart in an area of the castle with few security precautions, then disappear using the honeycomb of hidden passages. No one would ever have found him out.

Now, he must get his hands dirty. Ani said the blowgun was no longer an option. Belik needed to get in close. Hence the net that dangled from his left hand. It would delay and trip up his prey long enough to sedate him.

Belik watched as below Mikey stood from the table with a plate of food. One of the servants led him inside. The rest of the Hamatos appeared with Marina. The family chatted for a few more minutes and then headed indoors as well. The man slipped through a hidden passage and down a short staircase to the lower level. From a safe distance, he spied on them. Their voices carried in the marble halls.

"So, Mikey said he was going to take a nap." Leo restrained the desire to sigh. His youngest brother still pulled every trick possible to be lazy.

Jamie grinned as she clung to Leo's arm. "Aw, give him a break. We are on vacation, right?"

Ona giggled and glanced at her turtle, who yawned. "I don't think he's the only one who wants a nap."

Kaz lowered his voice and pulled her close. "Babe, I wouldn't mind going to bed, but it wouldn't be to sleep."

Ona's eyes doubled in size, and she turned beet red. "Kazzey!"

He chuckled. "Can't help the truth."

The others around them pretended not to hear the exchange. At the head, Marina paused at an intersection. "There's a party for Zarin and Trina tonight, but that's still several hours away. Would you like to see the exercise facility?"

Leo nodded. "Yes, I wouldn't mind getting in a short workout before tonight."

"Well, in that case, I'll hang out with Marina and Sarah." Jamie winked at the two women. "We'll need to find something nice to wear for the party, right?"

Ona perked up. "Oh, that sounds fun. I'll come too."

Kaz blinked. "Hey, wait. I thought-"

Leo chuckled. "Good idea. I could use a sparring partner."

Kaz's mouth hung open, and he glanced at Ona with betrayal in his blue eyes. She giggled. "See you later."

Kara pulled at Ona's arm. "Can I play dress up too!"

"Sure, you can." Marina grinned at the small turtle then at Liling. "You too, Liling. I have the perfect dress for you."

The teen's eyes widened. "Really?" She glanced at Shinta, who smiled, then dashed over to the group of girls.

"We'll see you, boys, in a few hours." Sarah slipped an arm around Liling's shoulders and smiled at Don. He returned it, feeling their bond blossom with warmth.

The guys watched the cluster of girls scurry down the hall, and Shinta moved to stand beside Donnie. He lowered his voice and glanced at his father out of the corner of his eye. "Does that mean we're stuck training too?"

Don chuckled. "It won't be a long work out. Marina said the parties only a few hours away."

"The party is at six tonight." Stin folded his arms. "Which is still four and a half Earth hours away."

Katsu looked up at his grandfather. "Can girls really look at clothes for four hours? I get bored in five minutes."

The group began to laugh. Shinta rubbed the turtle's round head. "Kid, you got a lot to learn about women."

Kaz snorted. "Yep, four hours is nothing. I once watched Star try on dresses for hours, and I swear they were all the same one." Leo and Don laughed harder. Kaz frowned. "Speaking of which, how is that bonehead getting out of training, and I'm not?"

The group continued to laugh as they turned to follow Stin. "The exercise area is this way."

Zarin and Rikter hurried ahead of them while Belik trailed in the shadows.

* * *

A nervous pulse raced up K-three's spine as he stared at the shabby looking structure. "Um, maybe this isn't such a great idea." The place reminded him of dingy places in the wrong parts of town. He didn't want to risk Mira getting hurt by taking her in such an establishment.

Triv grinned. "I promise it's better on the inside."

Mira released K-three's hand, and the Turtleoid knew she was searching Triv for any kind of deception. She found none. Instead, she smiled up at her mate. "Come on. I want to see how my people truly live on this world."

He nodded and allowed her to pull him inside after Triv. Music thumped a happy beat against their eardrums. A sweet and spicy scent tickled their beaks and tongues. Mira's hand tightened on K-threes as the sensation of being swallowed by bodies wrapped around the couple. The room bounced and vibrated with its occupants. Their eyes immediately went up to the sky above them. The building, if it could be called such, was void of a roof. The lowest floor, where they entered, was the dance floor, while catwalks rimmed the upper "floors." The metal grates that acted as the platforms were only wide enough for a chair and a person to walk past. Across the area where the roof should have been, long metal poles with lights traversed the gap. Right now, they weren't on because the sun shone down through the hole, dosing the crowd in its light.

At the center of the expansive room, a raised platform stood about four feet off the ground. Young Mazar danced and bounced about it to the roaring music. Laughter, singing, chanting, and shouting rose in bubbles around the newcomers. Very few patrons even took notice of the odd turtle couple standing a few paces inside the door.

"Triv!" A woman with blond hair piled on top of her head wiggled out of the crowd.

Their escort wrapped an arm around her and turned to grin at them. "This is my mate, Shess." He gestured at the couple. "Shess, this is-"

The woman's brown eyes grew wide. She pressed one hand to her mouth, the other balanced a tray of drinks. "You must be Lady Marina's niece! Lady Celes' daughter, Mira!"

Mira slipped her arm through K-three's. "Yes, but my mother prefers to be called Sarah."

If the woman's eyes could have grown any more, they would have popped out of her head. "This is fantastic! I never in a million years could have imagined a member of the royal family coming here!" She turned to Triv. "How could you drag them down to this old dump?"

Triv laughed. "They wanted to have some fun."

Shess smiled. "Well, we have plenty of that here." She turned away from them and started into the crowd, headed for a bar that ran along a nearby wall. Her voice rose over the music and the sounds. "Jerrip! Two Pink Toppers and Broppel!" Barely a minute later, she returned with two wide-mouth glasses. The liquid inside was clear, but a pink foam floated on top. Shess handed one to each of them.

K-three frowned. "What is it?"

Triv chuckled as he took the third drink, a green liquid in a large clear mug. "It's, uh. Well, it'll help you have fun." He lifted his glass and took a large swig.

K-three frowned and glanced at Mira, who examined her glass with interest. "Better let me try it first." He took a sip. It first tasted of fruit, sweet and tangy. Then it hit the back of this throat and felt like fire burning out his nostrils. He let out a breath. "It's liquor. Not bad, but I've had better on Shellri-La." He tossed back the rest and grinned.

"Sure, you have." Triv laughed again. "Shess, bring him a Broppel."

"Coming right up." Shess grinned as she sauntered off.

Mira took a tentative sip. She'd never been into alcoholic beverages. And she preferred a clear head while in public. But this wasn't Earth, and she wasn't in hiding. She looked up at K-three, who watched for her reaction. "Mm. I like it. It's sweet."

K-three smiled and placed a kiss on her brow. "Better take it easy, though. We don't know what their food and drinks – especially these kinds of drinks – will do to either of us."

Mira giggled and pointed at the platform. "Would it be okay if we danced?"

Triv glanced over his shoulder at the crowd. "Yes, I think so. People here are usually friendly. And those that aren't, Jerrip throws out."

K-three hesitated. They'd be very exposed up on that stage. "You sure?"

"Yes, I'll stay close. Come on." Triv pressed through the crowd and to a small table beside the stage. Mira set down her half-full glass and K-three his empty one before she tugged him up the steps and into the mass of bodies.

The couple was surprised to find a breeze flowing from beneath them. Mira kept hold of her mate's large hand as she danced. K-three laughed as she twirled around in a circle using the tip of his finger like a top. Despite the crisp air, he felt his skin grow warm as she leaned into him and pressed her lips to his. By the time the music slowed to a calmer pace, sweat dripped from the Turtleoid's brow. The couple finished off their drinks and returned to the dance floor.

Mira smiled as they swayed back and forth. "This is nice. I wish we could do this at home."

K-three rested his cheek against her head, and his arms tightened around her. "I know."

"What is that?" A loud male voice rose from the entrance.

K-three looked up to see a large man with graying hair staring in their direction. He glanced at the pink sky. "We should go. It's getting late."

Mira frowned and turned her head to glare at the man interrupting their peaceful, intimate moment. "I'm not ready."

K-three frowned and started to object, but the man shouted again. "When did this place start serving Turtleoid scum?"

Mira's anger spiked, and K-three's grip locked on her shell. "Time to go, my flower."

Triv mounted the steps, and the people around the couple stepped back. "He's right. Time to go, Lady Mira. Besides, I need to have you back before tonight's party."

The older man snorted and glanced at his four male companions. "Did he just call that thing 'Lady?'"

K-three growled and took a step forward. Triv stopped him with a hand to his chest. "I'll handle this. He's nothing but a local annoyance. Just follow me out." The royal escort turned, and the couple did as he asked. When they came near the door where the five men were standing and blocking their path, Triv stopped. "You will move now."

The man folded his arms. "Who says?"

Triv lifted his chin and met the man's eyes dead-on. "You know who I am, Zirk. And you know who I represent."

Shess turned to the owner, Jerrip. "Do something!"

The brute and his friends snickered. "Oh, I know. And I also know you are very outnumbered to be making demands, little soldier."

K-three squared his shoulders. "Just move. We were leaving anyway." Beneath his fingers, Mira's skin grew hot, and her muscles tensed. Yet, no anxiety existed in their bond on her end.

"Yeah, well, before you go, we're gonna teach you a lesson for thinking you could just make yourselves at home on our planet." The guy popped his fist into his other palm, and his friends jeered behind him.

A flash of green and pink appeared amid the men. A small fist struck the heckler in the chin, a waiter's tray smashed into the second man's face, a roundhouse kick took out two more men, and the last one had his legs swept from beneath him. Mira straightened up and yawned. She looked back at Triv and K-three. "Okay, I'm ready to go back now. This place just got boring." Stepping over one of the men, she opened the door to leave.

Triv and K-three exchanged surprised looks before both busted into laughter and followed out their petite savior.

* * *

A/N: If you're wondering what I've been up to, check out "Broken Wings Sins of the Father" on Amazon Kindle!


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